House Kahar Asserts Position
In an effort to maintain local order and to reassure the Nobles and Freelanders who live within House Kahar territory (or who merely look to the Imperial House for guidance), Duke Tiris Kahar has had the follow declarations posted in a number of Kahar, Imperial, and Mikin Townships and Cities: HIS GRACE, DUKE TIRIS KAHAR of wishes to make it known to the citizens of AEGISPORT and MARBLE GROVE, the citizens of FREEHAVEN and LIGHTHOLDER, and those who are part of and believe in the KAHAR-MIKIN ALLIANCE in the cities of LIGHT'S REACH, SOUTHWATCH, and WEDGECREST, that the IMPERIAL HOUSE KAHAR does not morally condone the method that HIS HIGHNESS the CROWN REGENT used to broker the cessation of the previous and future intended hostility towards the EMPIRE OF FASTHELD by the DARK WILDLING menance. However, HIS GRACE would equally like to state that the IMPERIAL HOUSE can neither show outrage at the action from a pragmatic perspective, given that HIS HIGHNESS may have been forced to choose between the lesser of two evils: Open Warfare with creatures who are more fearsome and chaotic than even conventional Wildlings, who are deeply touched by the Shadow and to whom the great AEGIS is little deterrant, OR the sacrifice of thirteen Noble children in an effort to stave off such open conflict and the loss and damage to life and property that would follow. The IMPERIAL HOUSE will also mention that while the loss of those children is a blow to the morale of the EMPIRE - seen as appeasement in some quarters, surrender in others, corruption in a few - it has bought the EMPIRE something precious: Time. Time that has been squandered by inaction and apathy towards the ultimateum given by the DARK WILDLING threat, by smaller domestic issues and a general lack of motivation, of sincerity, and perhaps of arrogance towards something that should be treated with caution and fear. That HIS HIGHNESS the CROWN REGENT had to make such a decision should be seen as a failing of the EMPIRE and the NOBILITY as a whole, not of the CROWN REGENT himself. The COUNCIL OF SIX and the NOBLE HOUSES should use this borrowed time to now devise plans to counter the DARK WILDLING menace, if possible, and to ensure that should the EMPIRE be forced into making such a hard decision again, that it does not fall solely upon the shoulders of one man to act in the best interests of the EMPIRE and the LIGHT when no other alternatives are available for consideration. FASTHELD is missing fifteen children, but those children have given FASTHELD time to think and to plan and to ensure that past mistakes are not repeated. They have not given FASTHELD this time in order for us to open the proverbial window wider to permit even more SHADOW to filter through into the hearts and minds of the strong and honorable people of the EMPIRE. HIS GRACE, DUKE TIRIS KAHAR I